Additive manufacturing (AM) is growing in popularity for rapid prototyping, short run manufacturing, and creating components with geometries that are inaccessible to conventional manufacturing methods. There are multiple known techniques for AM, such as stereolithography, material and binder jetting, fused filament fabrication, and powder bed fusion, among others. An AM process often includes building parts from selectively dispensing material (e.g., a polymer) through a nozzle or orifice, or fusing material located in a print bed. A nozzle or orifice is typically disposed on a printhead, which is maneuvered with respect to a print surface to dispense the material at prescribed locations with respect to the print surface. Multiple layers are built on top of each other to create a part or solid object, sometimes referred to herein as a component.
AM offer benefits, such as allowing for manufacturing of basic parts suitable for low-precision applications without the need for specialized fixturing or machining. However, design and manufacturing of precision components is a complex process, which printing may be but one step. Complex, precision components are subject to the limitations of the dimensional accuracy, surface finishes, and imprecise assembly associated with AM. Post-processing can aid in overcoming some of the shortfalls of AM. However, post-processing steps typically require accurate fixturing of the additively manufactured component to ensure the post-processing steps are performed accurately. Precision fixturing can be a timely and expensive process. But, if the additively manufactured component cannot be located with respect to a post-processing machine or tool in a repeatable and accurate manner, the post-processing steps can ruin the component.
Alternatively, or additionally, many components printed using AM techniques are designed as multi-component assemblies and can suffer from low placement accuracy between the parts. The low placement accuracy between the components can be the result of low machining tolerances, poor surface finishes of the individual components, and the material properties of the components themselves, among other reasons. If an assembly of additively manufactured components are not properly aligned or assembled, the resulting assembly can have unsuitable performance and/or usefulness. AM components may also be assembled with components manufactured by other methods including machining, injection molding, or casting.
Accordingly, there remains a need for improved methods, systems, and devices for producing additively manufactured parts that can be precisely and consistently located with respect to another object or tool or machine (e.g., a post-processing tool or machine), and precisely and durably located when coupling the manufactured part with another complementary part.